DE102019210149B4 - Toaster, closure for a toaster and method for roasting roasted goods - Google Patents

Abstract

Bread toaster (10), comprising at least one toasting chamber, which is accessible via an opening (A) provided in the housing top (O), with a closure (22, 23, 24, 25, 27), wherein the closure (22, 23, 24, 25, 27) is set up to close the opening (A) during a roasting process and to open the opening (A) during the removal of a roasted product, characterized by at least one filter device (50) for reducing emissions, which comprises a particle filter.

Description

The invention relates to a toaster for household use and a closure for a toaster. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for roasting roasted goods.

A generic toaster is, for example, from the publications WO 2007/013 031 A2 , FR 2 892 009 A1 and EP 1 850 715 B1 known. The toaster includes two opening slots in the top through which the bread to be toasted can be inserted. During the roasting process, burnt components can escape into the environment through the opening slots. From the U.S. 2004/0 144 774 A1 a microwave oven with a roasting device and a filter is known.

The object of the present invention is to reduce the particle emissions from the toaster.

The object is achieved according to the invention by a toaster comprising at least one vertically oriented toasting chamber which is accessible via an opening provided in a housing top. According to the invention, the toaster comprises a closure, the closure being set up to close the opening during a roasting process of the roasted goods and to release the opening during the removal of the roasted goods, so that as little as possible particle-laden air escapes during the roasting process.

The toaster or toaster is appropriately set up to toast disc-shaped toasts such as bread and in particular toast. A toaster regularly includes electrical heating elements that are set up to heat the toasted food in the at least one toasting chamber. Usually, the disc-shaped roasted food is heated from both sides by heating elements arranged on both sides. The at least one roasting chamber is expediently set up to completely accommodate the item to be roasted during the roasting process. In the position of use, the at least one toasting chamber and in particular also the items to be toasted in the toaster are preferably aligned essentially vertically. One shaft regularly forms a roasting chamber. A toaster advantageously comprises two or more separate toasting chambers. The housing of the toaster includes an upper side in which at least one opening is provided for filling and removing the toasted food. Preferably, at least two opening slits—preferably parallel to one another—are provided on the upper side, via which the roasting chambers are each accessible.

The toaster is particularly preferably designed as an ejection toaster or pop-up toaster. The toaster can expediently be set up to lift the item to be toasted from a toasting position into a removal position at the end of or after the toasting process. In the roasting position, the item to be roasted is almost completely accommodated in the roasting chamber, while in the removal position it is only partially so that the portion of the item to be roasted that is not accommodated in the roasting chamber can be inserted and/or removed.

The toaster can include an adjusting device that transfers the toaster or the item to be toasted into the toasting position or the removal position and/or holds the toaster or the item to be toasted in the toasting position or the removal position. As a rule, the adjusting device is a purely mechanical mechanism. Adjusting devices are customary in which an actuating lever or slide is mechanically coupled to at least one roasted product holder provided and movable in the roasting chamber. The lever can be transferred from the removal position to the roasting position by pressing it down. The adjusting device often locks in the roasting position.

According to the invention, the toaster includes a closure of the opening of the toasting chamber. The closure can preferably comprise at least one displaceable or pivotable cover element. The cover element is set up to close the opening in a substantially airtight manner in a roasting position and to release the opening in a removal position. The cover element can preferably be provided on or in the wall of the upper side of the housing. The cover element can be set up to close the opening in the toasting position in such a way that the air cannot escape from the toaster into the environment. Provision can particularly preferably be made for the adjustment device to move both the toasted product holder, which can be moved in the toasting chamber, and the cover element, which simplifies the operation of the toaster. The toast holder and the cover element can expediently be mechanically coupled for this purpose. Particularly preferably, the cover element closes when the actuating lever is pressed down. The at least one roasting chamber can thus be shielded from the environment in a particularly simple and efficient manner. Any dust particles are prevented from escaping from the toaster through the at least one opening.

According to the invention, the toaster or the closure comprises at least one filter device for reducing particle emissions, in particular for reducing fine dust emissions. Fine dust emissions are emissions of particles with a diameter of a few micrometers.

The filter device can particularly preferably comprise an exchangeable filter element. For example, the filter element can be designed as a disposable item.

According to the invention, the filter device comprises a particle filter. The particle filter can be formed from a porous ceramic material. In one embodiment, the filter may comprise microfibers. Filter technologies and particle filters are used, for example, for exhaust gas treatment in automotive technology and are also used to reduce emissions from laser printers. The filter element is particularly preferably provided in an exhaust air socket through which the air escapes from the interior of the toaster into the environment.

In one embodiment, provision is made for an electrostatic filter device to serve as the filter device. Electrostatic filter devices are also referred to as electric gas cleaning or electric dust filters. Electrostatic filter devices are systems for separating particles from gases that are based on the electrostatic principle.

The toaster according to the invention or the closure according to the invention preferably comprises a conveying device for conveying ambient air into the housing of the toaster. As a rule, the conveying device is a fan which is set up to convey ambient air into the toaster in such a way that the particle-laden air in the toaster is pressed out through the filter device. The air exchange allows the particles to be filtered out of the air. For this purpose, the fan can be arranged upstream or downstream of the roasting chamber. If it is arranged downstream of the toasting chamber, it can be spatially combined with the filter device, which can simplify the construction of the toaster.

The conveying device is particularly preferably a conveying device which can be closed off from the environment, so that when the conveying device is inactive, dust particles do not unintentionally pass through the conveying device and into the environment in the opposite direction to their conveying direction. The toaster is advantageously set up to close the filter device at least temporarily from the environment during the toasting process. A toaster equipped in this way can advantageously reduce or prevent the gas exchange between the toasting chambers and the environment during the toasting process. Particularly preferably, both the at least one opening on the top side and the conveyor device are sealed in an essentially airtight manner during the entire roasting process. Then the air can only escape through the filter device during the roasting process.

The toaster can include at least one filter aging indicator that is set up to indicate the aging of the filter device. Provision can be made for a filter change message to be output if a value indicative of filter aging has exceeded a limit value. The filter aging indicator is expediently set up to display information that is indicative of the number of roasting processes carried out. The value indicative of the aging can then be the number of roasting processes. The filter aging indicator preferably comprises an electrical or mechanical indicator field. For example, a pointer indicative of degradation can be moved by mechanically depressing the lever. As an alternative or in addition to the visual display, an acoustic signal can also be provided to display the aging. If there is a visual or acoustic indication that the filter element needs to be replaced, for example after a certain number of roasting processes, a user can replace the degraded filter element with a new filter element in good time.

The object according to the invention is also achieved by a closure for a toaster, wherein the closure is set up to close at least one opening provided in the upper side of the housing of the toaster in an essentially airtight manner during the roasting process of the roasted goods and to release them during the removal of the roasted goods, so that during the roasting process the i. i.e. R. particle-laden air does not escape. The closure includes at least one filter device for reducing particle emissions, in particular for reducing fine dust emissions. The closure can expediently be designed as a flap or attachment. This means that older toasters can also be retrofitted to their advantage. A modular toaster can also be offered. In a preferred embodiment, the attachment is designed in such a way that the attachment rests directly or indirectly on the top of the toaster. The top opening of the toaster can be opened in a simple case by removing the attachment, which means that it does not have to include a mechanically movable closure device in the form of a pivotable flap or the like, for example.

• - Einführen von Röstgut in mindestens eine Röstkammer;
• - Verschließen von mindestens einer Öffnung, die in einer Gehäuseoberseite eines Brotrösters vorgesehen ist und über die die Röstkammer zugänglich ist;
• - Rösten des Röstguts; und anschließendes
• - Öffnen der mindestens einen Öffnung zur Entnahme des Röstguts;

wobei vor dem Öffnen der mindestens einen Öffnung zur Reduktion der Partikelemissionen, insbesondere der Feinstaubemissionen die während des Röstvorgangs in dem Brotröster vorhandene Luft zumindest teilweise gefiltert wird.The object is also achieved by the method according to the invention for roasting roasted goods, in particular with the toaster disclosed here or the closure disclosed here. The procedure includes the steps:

• - Introduction of roasted goods in at least one roasting chamber;
• - Closing of at least one opening which is provided in a housing top of a toaster and through which the roasting chamber is accessible;
• - roasting of the roasted goods; and subsequent
• - Opening the at least one opening for removing the roasted goods;

wherein the air present in the toaster during the roasting process is at least partially filtered before the opening of the at least one opening to reduce the particle emissions, in particular the fine dust emissions.

The roasting process thus differs from conventional methods in that the air heated in the roasting chamber does not escape completely unfiltered, but is released into the ambient air via a filter device. The filtered air can be released during the roasting process or only afterwards.

The at least partial filtering of the air present in the toaster preferably includes the step of letting the air present at least partly through a filter device or through a filter element into the environment, with the at least one opening being closed at the same time. Furthermore, the method can include a step, according to which the at least one opening and the at least one conveyor device are closed in an essentially airtight manner during the roasting process and before the filtering. The air particles therefore advantageously do not leave the toaster during the roasting process and can be filtered out by the filter element, in particular towards the end of the roasting process or after the roasting process. Provision can particularly preferably be made for the at least partial filtering to include a step, after which the conveying device conveys ambient air into the interior of the toaster.

• 1 eine schematische Ansicht eines Brotrösters 10 gemäß eines ersten Ausführungsbeispiels mit geöffneten Öffnungen A,
• 2 eine schematische Ansicht des Brotrösters 10 der 1 mit geschlossenen Öffnungen A gemäß des ersten Ausführungsbeispiels,
• 3 eine schematische Ansicht eines Brotrösters 10 mit einem Verschluss 27 gemäß eines zweiten Ausführungsbeispiels,
• 4 eine weitere Ansicht des Brotrösters 10 der 1 gemäß des ersten Ausführungsbeispiels, und
• 5 eine schematische Ansicht einer Filtereinrichtung 50.

The principle of the invention is explained below with reference to the figures. Show it:

• 1 a schematic view of a toaster 10 according to a first embodiment with open openings A,
• 2 a schematic view of the toaster 10 of FIG 1 with closed openings A according to the first embodiment,
• 3 a schematic view of a toaster 10 with a closure 27 according to a second embodiment,
• 4 another view of the toaster 10 of 1 according to the first embodiment, and
• 5 a schematic view of a filter device 50.

the 1 shows schematically an embodiment of an ejection toaster 10 according to the invention. The toaster 10 is shown in the removal position. Two openings A are provided on the top side O of the housing, which are designed as longitudinal slots arranged parallel to one another. The toasting chambers (not shown) of the toaster 10 are accessible via the openings A. Slidable cover elements are provided at the openings A, which also form the closure of the toaster 10 . The cover elements 23, 25 shown as an example can be displaced in the transverse direction. An actuating lever 32 is provided on the front side of the toaster 10 . In the removal position shown, the actuating lever 32 and the toast holders (not shown) arranged in the toast chambers are in an upper removal position. In the removal position, roasted goods can be inserted for the next roasting process. The actuating lever 32 is guided in a lever shaft 34 and is designed to be displaceable in the direction of the vertical axis of the toaster 10 . The toaster 10 further includes a filter aging indicator 40 that shows the number of toasting operations on a display. The display is provided on the same side wall as the operating lever 32. In the usage position of the toaster 10, the degradation of the filter element 56 can thus be checked particularly easily. The filter device 50 is provided on a side wall of the toaster 10 . The filter device 50 forms an exhaust air path that connects the interior of the toaster 10, in particular the two toasting chambers, with the environment. The filter device 50 comprises an exchangeable filter element 56 (cf. 5 ) that filters the air escaping from the housing of the toaster 10. The filter device 50 is easily accessible from the outside and thus makes it possible to replace the filter element 56 easily and quickly. The filter device 50 is approximately the same distance from a table level as the actuating lever 32 in the upper removal position. However, the filter device 50 can also be provided at a different point of the toaster 10 .

the 2 shows the toaster 10 of the 1 in the roasting position. The operating lever 32 is in a lower roasting position. It is mechanically coupled to the cover elements 22, 23, 24, 25, so that the mechanically coupled cover elements 22, 23, 24, 25 are displaced in the transverse direction of the toaster 10 by pressing down the actuating lever 32. In the roasting position, they close the openings A in an essentially airtight manner. During the roasting process, the openings A are usually closed so that any dust particles cannot escape through the openings A into the environment.

the 3 shows a schematic view of a further embodiment of the invention. To avoid repetition, features of the same design have the same reference numbers and are not described again. The two upper openings A of the toaster 10 are covered by a closure 27 in this embodiment. The closure 27 includes the filter device 50. It is provided on a side wall of the closure 27, but could also be arranged elsewhere, for example on the top. The closure 27 is set up to seal the top O or the openings A in a substantially airtight manner. Since the closure 27 takes over the tasks of the cover elements 22, 23, 24, 25, they can be omitted. During the roasting process, it forces the heated air to flow through the filter device by convection. The closure 27 is designed as a detachable attachment that rests on the top O. The closure 27 can also be designed as a tiltable cover.

the 4 shows another view of the toaster 10 of FIG 1 . The toaster 10 is in the toasting position. An air conveying device 62 is provided on the second end face. The conveyor device 62 can be a fan, for example. The conveying device 62 is particularly preferably a closable fan which is at least temporarily closed during the roasting process so that the dust particles do not escape unfiltered through the fan into the environment when the conveying device 62 is inactive during the roasting process. In the absence of heat loss through escaping warm air, the roasted goods can also be roasted more energy-efficiently.

the 5 shows a schematic view of a filter device 50, for example, in one of the configurations according to FIG 1 until 3 can be provided. The filter device 50 includes a filter element 56 which is accommodated in an exhaust air socket. The exhaust air nozzle includes an annular filter housing 54 into which the filter element 56 is inserted. The filter element 56 is held by a retaining ring 52 which is connected to a positive connection, z. B. a screw connection or a bayonet lock, to which the filter housing 54 is attached.

Since the devices and methods described in detail are examples, they can be modified to a large extent in the usual manner by a person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, it can be provided that the cover elements are designed not to be displaceable but rotatable or pivotable. The term “substantially airtight” includes both airtight configurations and configurations in which the leakage gaps are negligibly small for the dust particle filtering function. For the sake of simplicity, features in the description are sometimes given in the singular. In addition, the use of the indefinite article "a" or "an" does not exclude the possibility that the characteristics in question can also be present more than once.

Reference List

10

toaster

22, 23, 24, 25

movable cover elements

32

operating lever

34

lever shaft

40

Filter aging indicator

50

filter device

52

retaining ring

54

filter housing

56

filter element

62

fan

A

opening

O

case top

Claims (9)

Bread toaster (10), comprising at least one toasting chamber, which is accessible via an opening (A) provided in the housing top (O), with a closure (22, 23, 24, 25, 27), wherein the closure (22, 23, 24, 25, 27) is set up to close the opening (A) during a roasting process and to open the opening (A) during the removal of a roasted product, characterized by at least one filter device (50) for reducing emissions, which comprises a particle filter. Bread Toaster (10) after claim 1 , wherein the closure (22, 23, 24, 25, 27) comprises at least one displaceable or pivotable cover element (22, 23, 24, 25, 27) which is set up to close the opening (A) in a roasting position and in release the opening (A) in a removal position. Bread Toaster (10) after claim 1 or 2 , wherein the filter device (50) has a replaceable filter element (56). Toaster (10) after any of the previous ones Claims 1 until 3 , wherein the filter device (50) comprises an electrostatic filter device (50). Toaster (10) according to one of the preceding claims, comprising a conveying device (62) for conveying ambient air into the housing of the toaster. Bread Toaster (10) after claim 5 , wherein the conveying device (62) is a conveying device (62) that can be closed off from the environment. Toaster (10) according to one of the preceding claims, comprising a filter aging indicator (40) which is set up to indicate the aging of the filter device (50). Closure (27) for a toaster (10), the closure (22, 23, 24, 25, 27) being set up to close an opening (A) provided in a housing top (O) of the toaster (10) during a toasting process and release during removal, comprising a filter device (50) for reducing particle emissions, which includes a particle filter. Method for roasting roasted goods, comprising the steps: - Closing at least one opening (A) provided in a housing top (O) of a toaster (10); - roasting of the roasted goods; and subsequent - Opening the at least one opening (A) for removing the roasted goods; wherein before the at least one opening (A) is opened, the air present in the toaster (10) during the roasting process is at least partially filtered via a filter device (50) for reducing emissions, which includes a particle filter.

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